Chile: Kast Falls to a Government Low in the Cadem Poll
Chile · POLITICS
Key Facts
- —What happened Kast’s approval fell to 34% in Cadem’s first poll of September, a new low for his government.
- —How big Disapproval rose to 61%, also the highest disapproval of his government so far.
- —The catch A day earlier Kast launched a housing programme worth about US$470 million; the two events are separate.
- —Who it hits President Jose Antonio Kast, whose Cadem approval has dropped four points since late August.
- —What comes next Cadem publishes a new poll most weeks, and no government response has been reported.
President Jose Antonio Kast’s approval rating has dropped to the lowest level of his government, according to the Cadem poll, as a housing programme launches.
Chile’s President Jose Antonio Kast approval low has hit a new floor in the Cadem poll. His approval sits at 34%, down four points, while disapproval climbed to 61%.
Approval Falls to a New Low
Chile’s President Jose Antonio Kast approval low was recorded in the pollster’s first Plaza Publica poll of September. The survey, released on 3 September 2026, put his approval at 34% and disapproval at 61%.
the survey’s own field report shows the poll ran on Wednesday, 2 September 2026. It surveyed 1,002 people across 169 communes in all 16 regions of Chile.
The Lowest and Highest of His Term
This is Kast’s lowest the pollster approval since he took office on 11 March 2026. It is also his highest the survey disapproval so far, breaking the previous mark.
The earlier low for approval was 36%, from a the pollster poll in May. The earlier high for disapproval was 60%, from a the survey poll in July.
Compared With Late August
In the pollster’s last poll of August, with fieldwork on 28 August 2026, Kast’s approval was 38% and disapproval was 59%. That approval figure was one point higher than the week before.
August closed with a monthly average of 39% approval, two points above July’s 37%, Cadem reported. Approval then fell four points in the first Cadem poll of September.
A Different Poll Told a Different Story
The Rio Times reported on 31 August 2026 that Kast’s approval had rebounded to 33.8%. That figure came from Pulso Ciudadano, a separate tracker run by Activa Research, not from Cadem.
Cadem and Pulso Ciudadano use different methods and different samples. The two polls can move in different directions in the same week without either one being wrong.
A Housing Push Launches
One day before the poll came out, Kast unveiled a housing and neighbourhood-improvement programme called DS27. He announced it on 2 September 2026 in the Juan Pablo II neighbourhood of Punta Arenas, in Chile’s Magallanes region.
The programme sets aside 10,765,825 UF for 2026 nationwide, worth about US$470 million. The peso-to-dollar figure uses a UF value of 40,875.09 pesos to the unit, dated 2 September 2026.
The dollar conversion also uses an exchange rate of 936.86 pesos to the US dollar per US dollar. That rate is Chile’s official rate for 2 September 2026, from the national tax agency.
In the Magallanes region alone, the programme allots 98,673 UF, close to 4 billion pesos or US$4.3 million. Nationwide, it should benefit 68,456 homes and help create 19,431 jobs.
Wrong-Track Feeling Also Rises
The same Cadem poll found 63% of Chileans think the country is on the wrong track, up five points. That is also the highest wrong-track reading of Kast’s government so far.
Only 24% expect Chile’s economy to improve in the second half of 2026. Job worries also rose, with 91% expecting a harder job market, the worst reading since the pandemic.
No Official Response Yet
No spokesperson for Kast’s government has publicly addressed the new Cadem numbers. Chilean outlets reported the poll and the housing announcement side by side.
Cadem publishes a new Plaza Publica poll most weeks. The next reading will show whether approval keeps falling or starts to recover.
How the Poll Is Done
Cadem’s Plaza Publica poll uses an online panel, not a phone or door-to-door sample. It weights results by gender, age, area, income level and how people voted in the 2025 runoff.
T13, CNN Chile and ADN Radio all reported the same 34% and 61% figures. That consistency, plus Cadem’s own published report, backs the numbers used in this article.
Cadem is one of Chile’s best-known pollsters and has tracked presidential approval for many governments. Its Plaza Publica survey is closely watched by politicians and journalists alike.
What the Numbers Mean
In the latest Cadem poll, 34% approve of Kast and 61% disapprove. That means about six in ten Chileans are unhappy with his government’s work.
Approval fell four points from the previous week. Disapproval rose two points over the same period.
Why Approval Matters for Kast
Low approval can make it harder for a president to pass laws in Congress. A weak Cadem reading can also shape how allies and opponents treat the government.
The reports reviewed for this article do not speculate on the reasons for the drop. Nor do they say what Kast’s government plans to do next.
How the Programme Reaches Homes
In the Magallanes region, the housing programme funds four kinds of subsidy. They cover community facilities, home repairs, social-condominium upgrades and thermal insulation for cold southern homes.
Two subsidies for community facilities total 7,735 UF. Ninety-seven subsidies for home repairs total 15,000 UF, and 92 for condominium upgrades total 20,000 UF.
The largest line is thermal insulation, with 164 subsidies worth 55,938 UF combined. Chile’s housing ministry, Minvu, and its regional building agency, Serviu, are running the programme.
Two Stories on the Same Week
Chilean media covered the poll drop and the housing launch as separate stories on the same news day. Neither T13, CNN Chile nor ADN Radio linked the two events directly.
Housing announcements often land before a poll comes out. It is too early to say whether the new programme will change Kast’s Cadem numbers in future weeks.
Chile’s next Cadem poll is due within a week or two. It will show whether the September drop was a one-off dip or the start of a longer slide.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the latest approval rating for Chile’s President Kast?
Cadem’s poll for the first week of September shows 34% approval. That is his lowest Cadem approval since taking office in March 2026.
How much did Kast’s approval drop?
It fell four percentage points, from 38% in Cadem’s last August poll to 34% in the newest one.
What is the disapproval rating for Kast?
Disapproval reached 61% in the same Cadem poll, the highest of his government so far.
Did the government announce a housing programme?
Yes. Kast unveiled a housing and neighbourhood programme worth about US$470 million on 2 September 2026, a day before the Cadem poll came out.
Did another poll show Kast’s approval rising?
Yes, but it was a different survey. Pulso Ciudadano, not Cadem, showed Kast’s approval at 33.8% in late August.
Connected Coverage
Sources: Cadem; T13; CNN Chile; ADN Radio; Pauta.cl; Puranoticia.cl; G5noticias.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error
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